Hubsan X4 quads...

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You want to know how tough these little Hubsan X4 quads are? I was flying one of my favorite H107C quads, red with silver stripes, that I'd made from parts, with no camera. I was practicing, got distracted by a truck coming up the street and lost orientation. When I realized I was pulling hard in the wrong direction it was a little late in the game, so I took her down. After spending an hour where I thought she landed, I was met with a cop who was called by a neighbor who was wondering who was out near his property with a flashlight. He didn't know it was me. The cop understood and I gave up the chase. This was November 24th. I know, because I just checked when I ordered the replacement, which was the next day. A neighbor stopped by to tell me that someone on the opposite street saw some funny lights on the back of a neighbor's roof, so I checked it out and didn't see a thing. Rainstorms came... and I gave up the ghost..

After the worst winter I've ever been through up here in the Northeast with over six feet of snow on the ground I totally forgot about the lost quad. Today, over five months later, I cashed a lottery ticket that I won $5.00 on during our Easter ritual. This caused me to go down the street where that house is. As I rolled on by I noticed something red in the crease of the roof. I did another lap of the neighborhood, parked, got out and got a closer look. There she was. The neighbor graciously allowed me to get a ladder and broom and retrieve her...

I got her home (sorry for the incredibly long post, BTW) and pulled the battery for disposal. I then took her apart, blew out all the sand and grit and noted some of the paint had worn and chipped, the screws were a little rusted and the motors weren't quite as shiny, but they all spun by hand. So... I plugged in a battery. Got all the right light sequences. Hmmm... There was one damaged prop, so I replaced it. I put in a new battery, brought it out to the living room, fired it up and flew it around just like nothing happend. The motors sound a little raspy, but it flies exactly the way you'd expect it to...

Keep in mind... this is flying around the living room after replacing the battery and one prop.

I'm pretty good at math so I don't generally pay that tax. This is a tradition with my son's inlaws that they always put a lottery ticket under your plate at Easter, Christmas, Guy Falks Day, Boxing Day... whatever... For once, I actually won a five spot. And that's the ONLY reason I went down that street. One more good wind storm and the quad is in the gutter and I'd never have seen it. Fate, or whatever the frick it is that puts you in such circumstances, is a fickle *****. (and I don't mean the gender specific type as I've know a number of them that weren't female)

I just thought it wicked strange that it was sitting there in a crease half way down the roof line, on the way to the gutter, after all that weather and snow and wind and rain... exactly when I strolled on by. Especially since the only time I usually stroll by that corner is when I'm either walking to the bar/wing joint down the street, or back from it... Walking to, I might have spotted it. Walking back, I might have spotted polka dot dragons toking on the ashes of J.R.R. Tolkien... But no way I'd have seen the quad...

Moderator

Yeah, bro... That lottery ticket sat shotgun in my ride since Easter. I go by that convenience store every day. I have no idea why I thought to cash it today. That quad was sitting so tenuously in that little crease in the roof about five feet from the gutter. I wonder how much longer before she either blew or flooded down. And yeah... Like you... I'm always watching because you never know when the fates are gonna give it up and smile atcha... I'm gonna hand that fiver to the next guy I see pushing a shopping cart. I hope it helps him find something he lost...

That is real cool! The micros seem to be bullet proof. My X12 Symas have crashed into so many things because I am such a bad pilot. The larger X5C-1's have taken a beating also. One in an oak tree for two weeks and another one in a snow bank for 1-1/2 months. Bad thing about that one was I walked past it within 20 feet and never saw it until the snow(crap)went away. Only lost one light lens and one camera. But video was OK.
As for lottery tickets: I NEVER would give someone one of them. As soon as I did it would be worth 500 million and they would say "Thanks." Almost as bad as a picture at a yard sale you sold for $2.00 and there is a 50 million dollar painting under it.

P2V--RotorPixel--All Antennas from FPVLR--RF-V16 Tracker--RE-700--SYMA X12 --& X5C-1
Never fly your quad without a tracker. Proofread before you click post.

Moderator

I figured I'd be able to save the body, foot pads, props, maybe the LEDs... But fly it??? I took the day off from work today to chill a bit and flew this quad for seven or eight minutes, hard!!! I mean I really slammed it around. I have my Taranis TX set up with a Hubsan module and I have five different flight modes set up. I showed it no mercy, and it didn't ask for any. The motors are a little raspy sounding, which is understandable. I'm going to apply a small dose of Marvel Mystery Oil to the top of each motor to help break down any oxidization, but I won't be surprised if I have to replace the motors soon... Regardless. I was smiling wide while slamming this wounded puppy all over the sky...

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